Hospitality Management Careers

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Interested in learning more about the different hospitality management careers that are out there? Whether you want to explore restaurant management jobs or lodging hospitality management is more in-line with your career goals, this section will provide you with a good general overview of the types of duties and responsibilities for different careers in hospitality management in four different sub-sectors. Although the overall goal of ensuring that businesses runs smoothly and effectively is the same, the day-to-day tasks may differ depending whether you’re managing a hotel, restaurant, casino or resort.

Let’s take a look at some hospitality management careers right now…

Lodging Managers

Lodging managers, also known as hotel managers, are responsible for ensuring that hotel or resort guests have a pleasant experience during their stay. Lodging hospitality management must also ensure that the establishment is run efficiently and makes a profit.

Additionally, employees in lodging hospitality management may perform the following tasks:

  • Inspecting guest rooms and hotel grounds for cleanliness

  • Ensuring that standards for décor, housekeeping and guest services are met

  • Responding to guest queries about hotel policy/services

  • Coordinating office activities and resolving problems

  • Setting room rates and approving expenditures for different departments

  • Overseeing staff including hiring, training and termination

Food Services Managers

Food service managers responsible for making sure that the daily operation of restaurants (or other food/beverage service providers) run efficiently. Typically in restaurant management jobs, employees also direct staff to ensure that customers are satisfied with their experience and that the business remains profitable.

Food services managers may also perform the following tasks:

  • Managing inventory and ordering food/beverages, equipment and other supplies

  • Overseeing food prep, portion sizes and presentation

  • Ensuring that employees meet health and food safety standards

  • Scheduling staff hours and assigning duties

  • Maintaining budgets and payroll records

  • Establishing personnel performance and customer service standards

  • Helping to open up or close the restaurant/bar

Gaming Managers

Gaming managers are responsible for supervising and managing gaming workers and operations as they serve customers in gambling establishments such as casinos or racetracks.

On a daily basis, gaming managers may perform the following duties:

  • Circulating among tables to ensure everything is running smoothly

  • Watching customers and employees to ensure they are compliant with casino rules

  • Addressing customer complaints about service

  • Communicating with security if issues arise

  • Scheduling employee work and location

  • Explaining house operating rules such as betting limits

Slot managers are a type of gaming manager who oversee the workings of the slot machine area. Typical tasks may include refilling machines with tickets or money; responding to customer complaints; monitoring the slot section; and interviewing, hiring and training employees.

Meeting, Convention and Event Planners

Meeting, convention and event planners are responsible for coordinating all the aspects of professional meetings and other events such as weddings or parties. They typically choose meeting locations, arrange travel, and coordinate other important event details.

Additional duties that meeting, convention and event planners may perform include:

  • Meeting with clients to understand the goal of events or conferences

  • Planning and budgeting the scope of events

  • Inspecting venues to make sure that they meet the needs of clients

  • Coordinating rooms, transportation and food and beverage services

  • Soliciting bids from venues and service providers such as florists

  • Monitoring event activities to ensure they are going well

  • Approving event bills and payment

Different types of meeting, convention and event planners include:

Association planners: Focus on annual conferences and trade shows for professional associations.

Corporate planners: Organize internal and external business meetings.

Government meeting planners: Set up meetings for government officials and agencies.

Convention service managers: Employees of hotels and convention centers, who are in charge of organizing major events.

Event planners: Focus on events such as weddings, engagement or birthday parties and other celebrations.

Non-profit event planners: Plan large events to raise donations for charities or advocacy groups.


Sources: bls.gov/ooh/management/lodging-managers.htm#tab-2 | bls.gov/ooh/management/food-service-managers.htm#tab-2 | bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/gaming-services-occupations.htm#tab-2 | bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/meeting-convention-and-event-planners.htm#tab-2